The BMELV advocates that consumers should be enabled to better understand the actual meaning of regional labels when shopping for groceries.

Targeted checks serve to promote consumer health protection. The industry, public authorities and also consumers are called upon to take action.

The brochure explains how the food safety system in Germany works, giving numerous practical examples and outlining objectives, principles and measures.

There are a number of national and EU regulations that apply regarding the import of food to Germany. The importer must comply with these regulations as well; the importer is the first link in the domestic sales chain and consequently responsible for the marketability of the imported products.

In-house checks conducted by a compound feed producer at the beginning of 2011 revealed increased dioxin levels in the compound feed it produced. As a result of these incidents, Federal Minister Aigner presented the Action Plan on "Consumer Protection in the Feed Chain" that is intended to remove the detected deficits.